Show home tells a story

Arbutus Properties' design team selected a Scandinavian 'hygge' theme for the interior of its new Clarke show home. Black matte designer lighting fixtures and hardware stand out against the kitchen's crisp white cabinets and quartz counters. Rustic woodgrain wide plank laminate flooring brings warmth to the great room.

When Arbutus Properties designs and stages a show home, they do so with a make-believe family in mind.

Arbutus sales manager Jody Minakakis explains, “Our designer, Jen Lapsiuk, comes up with a story for each show home. She’ll create the imaginary family who will live here and then we write the script. In conjunction with that, Jen comes up with the design palette for the home.”

The Clarke is Arbutus Properties’ newest show home, located at 223 Greyeyes-Steele Way in The Meadows. “For this home, we have envisioned a family of four. They have a little girl and a little boy, as you can see by the design of the bedrooms and the toys and games in the upstairs bonus room,” says Minakakis.

“We want people to come and experience what life could be like living in this home. We’ll have Disney movies playing on the TV in the family room. The pantry is stocked with groceries. We want to show how people can live here.”

The Clarke is a 1,659-square-foot, two-storey plan, with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a bonus family room on the second floor.

“It’s a smaller, more compact version of our popular James model home,” says Minakakis. The builder listened to feedback from couples and parents with small children who loved the features of the 2,000-square-foot-plus James plan, but were looking for a similar home with a smaller footprint and lower price point.

With its open floor plan, nine-foot ceilings and abundance of oversized triple pane windows, the Clarke has a spacious, inviting feel that belies its trim square footage.

The home’s interior features a delightful Scandinavian design theme, also known as hygge. The kitchen is dressed in classic white Shaker-style cabinets and white quartz counters, with contrasting matte black metal door hardware and designer pendants over the family-sized island. Wide plank rustic wood laminate flooring adds warmth to the white-toned kitchen and living room.

Family-friendly features abound in The Clarke, including a large kitchen pantry and a clutter-stopping mudroom. There’s even a family room located in the bonus space on the second floor, next to the large master suite and two children’s bedrooms.

The home’s basement level is open for development. There is a separate side entrance into the basement which creates the potential for constructing a revenue suite, adds Minakakis.

The Clarke stands out on the block with its attractive West Coast contemporary exterior. “It’s a newer design for us, with a lower sloping roof and a hip roof. Of course it has our signature front porch entrance, which is characteristic of all of the homes in The Meadows,” says Minakakis.

Families who purchase any of Arbutus Properties’ single family homes in The Meadows don’t have to worry about the expense of landscaping their front yards, he adds. “The front yards will be completely landscaped.”

The home’s location is also a big selling feature, says Minakakis. “We’re sandwiched between two parks — Struthers Park and the Meadows community park. People also appreciate the close proximity to the Meadows Market, which features Costco, shopping, restaurants and more.”

The Clarke models are priced starting at $449,900, during Arbutus Properties’ spring promotion which is on now through June 20.

The Clarke show home, at 223 Greyeyes-Steele Way, is open for viewing Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m., and from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. For more details, visit www.meadowsliving.ca.